ANN PALMER

ANN PALMER

Ann Palmer is a landscape painter based in Rochester, Kent. She works ‘en plein air’ in oils in Kent and in Touraine in the Loire Valley; her subject matter includes the valleys and coasts of Kent and the vineyards and Chateaux of France.Ann works quickly, resulting in a freshness which is impressionistic yet creates a clarity of subject and defines the mood of the day.

“I took up drawing and painting in September 2007 since retiring from the National Health Service where I practised for many years as a General Practitioner and Public Health Consultant. I was still practising Public Health on a part-time basis at the University of Kent and for Medway and Maidstone Councils and have until recently been a Trustee for the Ellenor Lions Hospices; I am now retired.I enjoyed art as a child but had not done any painting until I joined the Rochester Adult Education beginners Class in 2007/8. In July 2008 I joined a 5 day course in Watercolour led by Roger Gill at Central St. Martins. I have learned through class work, reading and visiting exhibitions. I have taken part in watercolour workshops organised by Francis Iles in Rochester, Norfolk Arts Centre and monthly Master Classes led by Bill Newton. I have attended Life Drawing Classes in Maidstone and Rochester , Master Classes in Hastings with Crawfurd Adamson and have been a member of the Improvers Class in Rochester.I developed my ability to draw and paint towncapes and perspective with James Willis at the Soane Museum and then I took up oil painting under the guidance of Crawfurd Adamson who teaches life drawing and painting and with Alain Bordier (in France) who taught me to use a palette knife.I enjoy painting en plein air – local scenes especially landscapes and stormy skies and sea. I draw and paint as often as possible; primarily I paint outside in all weathers taking my inspiration directly from nature, setting up my box easel in the vineyards, alongside the River Cher, or the beach at Whitstable or other Kent locations. I use my visits to Italy especially Venice, and to other parts of France including the Alps Maritime around Aix en Provence, Avignon and Arles. I gather useful reference material, sketching locally in Medway, Bath and the Loire Valley where I spend time in my second home.I exhibit with Nucleus Arts in the Medway Towns and Maidstone and have recently exhibited in Bluewater with the What If….? Gallery in Dartford, and Gabriel Fine Art in Lambeth. I am a member of the Hesketh Hubbard Life Drawing Society at the Mall Galleries. I am Chairperson of the Rochester and West Kent Art Society with whom I paint and exhibit. I exhibit regularly at the Seaside Brocante in Whitstable and in Chelsea Town Hall with the Parallax Art Fair as well as taking part in the Pintar Rapido competition painting a day in London.” – Ann Palmer.